Hypertension, also called high blood pressure is a transitory or excessive elevation of the blood pressure in the arteries, i.e., the systolic and diastolic pressure. A hypertensive crisis is defined as a systolic rate over 180 mmHg or a diastolic rate above 120 mmHg. In India, hypertension affects all ages especially people from lower social economic groups and more common in older people around and above the age of 45 years. Most blood pressure medicine has side effects. Herbal medicines are in great demand both in developed and developing countries. Herbal medicines have been in use for thousands of years. It is estimated that 80% of the world population depend on herbal medicinal products as a primary source of healthcare and traditional medical practices. The choice of herbal medicines for treatment is due to its less side effects, cheap prices and availability of the material within their reach. Churachandpur district is situated in the southern part of Manipur and is inhabited by various communities with common ancestor, sharing similar language, culture, tradition and food habits. These indigenous people are rich in traditional knowledge, but economically backward. Despite the advancement in modern pharmaceutical medicines, many rural and urban people still depend upon traditional ethno medicinal plants for their treatment. They used different types of plants for treating different types of ailments and diseases. But their traditional knowledge on herbal medicine is yet to be documented. Therefore, the aim of this research work is to document the plants used by the people of Churachandpur district for treatment and controlling hypertension.
Key words: Documentation; Ethnomedicinal plants; Hypertension; Traditional Knowledge
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